A one-week-old Florida panther kitten that was found cold and barely breathing in a wildlife refuge would have died if he hadn’t been rescued, say biologists.The kitten, who weighed just a pound when he was found, was suffering from hypothermia and wasn’t responsive.

‘He was very lethargic, listless and non-responsive,’ said a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Vets rushed him to Naples animal hospital, Florida, where he was given emergency life saving measures.After intensive round-the-clock care, the animal, which has yet to be named, put on more than a pound in weight.He has now been taken to Lowry Park Zoo, in Tampa, to continue his recovery but is unlikely to ever be released back into the wild.